Vozinha, the goalkeeper for Cape Verde’s national team, learned of the tragedy while preparing to play for his new team.
A school bus carrying 32 people plunged down a 30-meter precipice on the island of Fogo as they were returning from an excursion near the Pico de Fogo volcano.
The death toll rose to 25, most of them children and teenagers. The driver, who organized the outing every year, also died.
With the entire country in mourning, Vozinha wrote on Instagram: “May God comfort the hearts”. Hours later, he took to the field and played the entire match, silently carrying the grief of his people.